Toe lasting machines



Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMES TOE LASTINGQMACHINES s Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 5, 1956 I n u e ntor Cyril H. James B Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMESTOE LASTING MACHINES v 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 [nven forCyril H. Jame-s Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMES TOE LASTING MACHINES 3Sheets-$heet I 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 Inventor Cyril H. James UnitedStates Patent TOE LASTING MACHINES Cyril Harry James, Leicester,England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington,N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 5, 1956, SerialNo. 608,018

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 12, 1955 7 Claims.(Cl. 128.8)

This invention relates to machines for shaping shoe uppers over lastsand is herein illustrated in its application to end lasting machines.The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to a machine ofthe type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,882,granted October 10, 1950, on an application filed in the names of FrankC. Choice and Cyril H. James. In certain aspects thereof the inventionis con cerned with the reorganization of machines of this type to adaptthem to operate alternatively on stitchdown shoes or on shoes in whichthe upper is lasted inwardly and cement attached to an insole. It is tobe understood, however, that in its broader aspects the invention is notlimited to machines of this type but is applicable to lasting machinesgenerally, and moreover, in certain of its aspects, the invention is notlimited to lasting machines but is applicable to shoe machinesgenerally.

In the manufacture of shoes in the smaller shoe factories it is oftendesirable to have a lasting machine which can be used to manufacturedifferent types of shoes and specifically certain shoe manufacturersproducing both stitchdown shoes and cement lasted shoes demand a machineof the type disclosed in the patent above referred to which can readilybe adapted to either cement lasting or stitchdown lasting. Accordingly,it is an object of the present invention to provide in a machine of thetype illustrated in said patent means whereby the machine may be adaptedto operate alternatively on either of these two types of shoes.

Machines of the type illustrated in said patent are commonly providedwith a toe gripper and two side grippers at opposite sides of the toeportion of the last for tensioning the upper over the last preparatoryto the operation of the wipers. In order to improve the upper tensioningoperation performed by machines of this type it is an object of thepresent invention to provide in such a machine an additional pair ofgrippers for tensioning the upper over the last, these grippersoperating preferably at the ball portion of the shoe, this being thearea defined generally as the junction between the forepart and theshank portion.

In its application to the provision of ball grippers in machines of thetype above referred to the present invention in one aspect thereofconsists in the combination with toe lasting wipers, of a toe gripper,grippers operating at opposite sides of the toe portion of the shoe andball grippers which are mounted for movement about a fulcrum extendingheightwise of a shoe in the machine and adjacent to a plane bisectingthe toe grippers and equally dividing the space between the sidegrippers, said fulcrum being disposed relatively to the grippers so asto afford movement of the grippers widthwise of the shoe with a toewardcomponent. Preferably, the ball grippers are also adapted to moveheightwise of the shoe in order, more effectively to tension the upperheightwise prior to their inward movement. Preferably, the ball grippersare constructed to permit the lasting margin of the upper to bewithdrawn from the gripper jaws by the inward wiping movement of thewipers, thus facilitating the performance of a cement lasting operationby the wipers.

These and other features of the invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toe lasting machine embodying features of thepresent invention, certain parts being broken away and other parts shownin section;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation illustrating the worksupporting assembly and the upper pressing means;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the ball gripperassembly at the right side of the machine; and

Fig. 4 is a right side elevation illustrating particularly thecombination of the wiper assembly and the holddown organization.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in a machinewhich is generally similar to the machine illustrated in United StatesLetters Patent No. 2,524,882, hereinbefore referred to and which hasincorporated therein the improvements disclosed in United States LettersPatent No. 2,524,883, granted October 10, 1950, in the name of Frank C.Choice. For a description of those features of the machine not fullydescribed herein reference may be had to the patents above referred to.

For supporting in upright position a last having a shoe upper looselyassembled thereon and an insole of last bottom shape attached to itsbottom surface there is provided alast supporting member 10corresponding generally to the work support in the patents abovereferred to but differing therefrom in certain respects as hereinafterdescribed.

The toe portion of the last is located on the work support for theoperation of toe wipers 12 by a pair of last positioning and uppercontrolling fingers 14.

For imparting tension to the toe portion of the upper and pulling itdown to the last the illustrated machine is provided with a toe gripper16 and a pair of side grippers 18. In order topermit the side grippersto yield toewardly during the tensioning of the upper longitudinally ofthe last the side grippers are mounted respectively in casings 20 havingbores in which the side grippers are seated by gravity and the casingsare mounted for movement heightwise of the last in bores 22 formed inbrackets 24 and the bores are elongated horizontally, as shown in Fig.1, to permit the casings 20 to move toewardly during the longitudinaltensioning of the upper. The brackets 24 are carried by brackets 26which are adjustable substantially lengthwise of the last toward andfrom its toe end in accordance with the size of the shoe upper to beoperated upon.

For tensioning the upper at opposite sides of its ball portion theillustrated machine is provided with grippers 28 which are mounted, ashereinafter described, on brackets 30 which are secured to the brackets26 so that the ball grippers 28 are adjusted lengthwise of the last withthe side grippers 18. The ball grippers 28 receive their closingmovements from the movement of the toe wipers 12 heightwise of the last.

The illustrated last supporting means comprises three studs 32 havinghead portions spaced from each other and adapted to engage the bottomsurface of an insole on a last bottom thereby to support the last inpredetermined height-wise relation to the operating instrumentalities ofthe machine. The headed studs are secured in a suitable member 34 (Fig.2).

For assisting the toe wipers 12 in maintaining the tension imparted tothe upper by the grippers after the grippers have released their hold onthe upper, a plate 38 (Fig. 2) is yieldably supported by threecompression springs 40 surrounding the last supporting studs 32. Theplate has an outline corresponding generally to that of the toe portionof a shoe but on a somewhat larger scale. One plate is suitable for usewith all but the smallest range of sizes of shoes to be operated upon bythe machine. Inasmuch as the plate 38 is required to move angularly aswell as heightwise-with relation to the studs 32 the holes whichregister with the studs are made somewhat larger in diameter than thestuds themselves. The plate is normally positioned by the engagement ofcounterbored portions 42 with the heads of the studs 32 with its uppersurface slightly'below the level of the upper surfaces of the heads ofthe studs, as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, each of the ball grippers 28 com prises a lower jaw44 andan upper jaw 46 having a'common pivotal mounting on a pin 48. Thelower jaw 44 is provided with gripping .teeth while the upper jaw 46 isprovided with a smooth work engaging surface in order to obviate damageto the upper. The jaws are normally held open by a torsionspring 50, theopen position being determined by .the engagement of a tail portion ofthe upper jaw 46 with the lower jaw 44. The lower jaw 44 is secured toan arm .52 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a stud 54 fixed in ahead56 of a swivel pin 58 freely rotatable in a boss 60 projecting upwardlyfrom the end of the horizontal armof the bracket 36, the axis of theswivel pin 58 extending generally heightwise of a last on the 'worksupport. The swivel pin 58 is retained in its'position relatively to thebracket 30 by a collar 62 secured to thelower end portion of the swivelpin. A tension spring 64 connected at one end to the bracket 30 and atthe other end to the vertical arm 66 of the bell crank lever urgesthelever about the stud 54 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, toraise the ball grippers28, the normal position of the ball grippersbeing adjustably determined by the engagement of a stop screw 68 in thearm .66 with the bracket 30. j

The rest position of the ball gripper assembly illustrated in Fig. 3 isdetermined 'by the engagement of an arm 70 extending forwardly andoutwardly from the head 56 of he swivel pin 58 with the inner endportionof a latch lever 72 (Fig. l) fulcrumed betweenits ends on a headed pin74 mounted in a block 76-secured to the bracket 30. A leaf spring 78secured tovthe block 76 and bearing against'the innerportion of thelatch lever 72 normally holds the lever. in its position shown in Fig. 3in which its inner end portion is engage'd'by the arm 70.

The ball grippers are closed to grip the margin of a shoe upper duringthe downward movement of the toe wiper head to effect the wiping of thetoeportion of the upper heightwise of the last. During such downwardmovement of the wiper assembly forward .extensions of the toe wiperplates 12 engage theupper jaw 46 of each pair of ball grippers therebyclosing the jaw into gripping engagement with the marginal portion ofthe upper overlying the lower jaw 44. During continued downward movementof the wipers after the closingof the ball gripper jaws on the work theball grippers are depressed bodily against the resistanceofthe springs64, each gripper assembly swinging about its stud 54. As the wipersapproach the levelvat'which they commence their inwiping movements arms80 ,(Fig. 1)ecarried by the wiper head engage the outer end portions ofthe latch levers 72 and swingthe levers in a direction to disengage themfrom .the arms 70 whereupon the springs 64 urge the ball grippers 28inwardly about the axes .of the swivel pins 58. The inward movement ofthe ball grippers is normally terminated by the resistance of the upperto further tensioning thereof. 'When'the machine is operated without ashoe therein inward movement of the ball grippers is limited bytheengagement 4 of the arms 70 with abutment members 82 secured to thebrackets 30.

The toe wipers 12 are mounted in a wiper carrier 84 (Fig. 4) constructedand arranged to swing vertically on an axis extending transversely ofthe machine and similarly a toe holddown mechanism hereinafter describedis mounted at the forward end of a carrier, herein illustrated as atubular gooseneck 86, which is also mounted for vertical swingingmovement on an axis extending transversely of the machine. The wipercarrier has pivotally connected to it the lower end portion of a rod .88which extends upwardly from the carrier through a trunnion blockswiveled on the gooseneck. Between the trunnion block and a hand nut 92threaded on the upper end portion of the rod 88 is a compression spring94 which serves to support the wiper carrier 84. The spring 94determines the normal vertical position of the wiper carrier,'thisposition being determined by the engagement of .an abutment 96 on thewiper carrier with an opposing abutment 98 extending downwardly from amember 100 embracing the forward portion of the gooseneck 86 and securedthereto. Downward movement is imparted to the gooseneck by mechanismoperating through links 102 pivotally mounted onthe member 100. Thedownward movement of thegooseneck is positively imparted to the wipercarrier through the abutment members above referred to, to cause thewipers to wipe the toe portion of the upper heightwise of the last.

, The illustrated holddown assembly comprises an upper engaging pad 104made of rubber or the like and secured to a plate 106 mounted in a yoke108 in the lower end portion ofa plunger 110 which is slidablymountedfor movement heightwise of a shoe in the machine in aLbOreextending through a head. 112 provided with a stern 114 which is securedin the forward end portion of 'the gooseneck 86. Threaded into the upperend portion ofthe plunger 110 is a headed bolt 116 which extends freelythrough a bore in a crosshead 118 of a yoke 120 fixed to the head 112.The downward movement of the gooseneck is imparted to the pad 104through a spring 122 surrounding the screw Y116 and confined between thecrosshead 118 and the upper end of the plunger .110. The rest positionof the plunger relatively to the gooseneck may be adjusted, as required,by turning thescrew 116 in the plunger 110. In the operation of theillustrated organization the toe wiper assembly advancesfrom itsretracted position illustrated in Fig. 1 to .bring the lower end of arod 140 into registration with a fixed abutment 154 and into averticallyvspaced relation to the abutment predetermined by the positionof a collar .142 on the rod. During the initial stage of their downwardmovement-the wiper assembly and theholddown assent bly move as a unit.At apredetermined stage inthe downward-movement the holddown. pad 104engages the shoe and thereafter the wiper assembly moves downwardlyrelatively to the holddown compressing the spring 122. As the wiperassembly nears the limit of its downward movement the lower end of therod 140 engages the abutment 154 and the final stagelof downward movement of the wiper assembly produces sufficient movement of the holddownassembly together with the gooseneck 86 to cause the rod 140.to bring apawlnl32 into engagement with a ratchet wheel thereby to lock theholddown 104 positively against upward movementduring the inwipingoperation and during the subsequent application of upward pressure tothe wipers to cause the lasting margin of the upper to be cementattached .to the insole. As'shown in Fig. 4, the illustrated ratchetwheel 130 is secured to a shaft 126 journaled in anvupward extension 128otthe member 100. Also secured to the shaft .126 is a pinion 124 whichmeshes with rack teeth'forrned in the plunger 110. The pawl..132 isfixedto one end of a crosspin 134 journaled inthe upward extension .128.Fixed. tethe. opposite end of thecrosspin 134 is a horizontal arm 136which carries at its free end a swivel block 138 having a vertical borein which the rod 140 is slidably mounted. Upward movement of the rod 140relatively to the gooseneck 86 is imparted to the arm 136 through aspring 144 surrounding the rod and confined between the swivelblock 138and a collar 146 fixed to the rod. A generally vertical disposition ofthe rod 140 is maintained by a bracket 148 having in its horizontalportion an aperture through which the rod extends, said bracket beingfixed to the member 100. The pawl 132 is normally held disengaged fromthe ratchet wheel 130 by a spring 150 anchored at its lower end to thebracket 148 and at its upper end to a collar 151 fixed to the rod 140.

In the operation of the illustrated machine the toe wipers 12 moveheightwise of the shoe toward the shoe bottom to perform a wipingoperation on the peripheral portion of the upper and, concomitantly, thefingers 14 are withdrawn to allow the wipers to advance into a positionin which their upper surfaces are substantially coplanar with the bottomof the insole on the last bottom, ready to close beneath the shoe.During the movement of the wipers heightwise of the shoe forwardextensions thereof engage the upper jaws 46 of the ball grippers 28closing them on the lasting margin of the upper and cansing them toswing downwardly in order to apply tension to the ball portion of theupper at opposite sides of the shoe. During the heightwise wipingoperation the toe gripper and the side grippers release their hold onthe upper and the wipers press the outwardly flanged margin of the toeportion of the upper against the margin of the plate 38 which, it willbe remembered, is yieldingly mounted on the studs 32 of the shoesupporting assembly. The plate 38 yields downwardly as the wiperscontinue to advance heightwise of the shoe and acts as a retarder tocause the application of tension to the upper after the grippers havereleased their hold thereon. As the wipers come to the limit of theirmovement heightwise of the shoe the arms 80 cause the latch levers 72 torelease the arms 70 thus allowing the ball grippers 28 to be moved bythe springs 64 inwardly and toewardly beneath the shoe bottom as thewipers begin their inwiping movements. During the inwiping operation theplate 38 continues to act as a retarder and the ball grippers 28continue to maintain a yielding grip on the margin of the upper, theupper material being progressively drawn by the wipers away from theplate 38 and out of the jaws of-the ball grippers. It will be understoodthat the ball grippers, by reason of their combined inward and toewardmovements during the wiping operation, assist in the lasting of the ballportion of the shoe. During the inwiping movements of the wipers,beveled surfaces formed at their wiping edges cause the wipers to beurged downwardly against the action of a compression spring supportingthe forward portion of the wiper assembly. After the wipers havecompleted their advancement inwardly under the shoe bottom they areurged upwardly with sufiicient pressure to flatten the margin of theupper against the insole while pressure sensitive cement pre viouslyapplied tothe margin of the upper and/or the margin of the insole setsat least sufiiciently to hold the upper in lasted position. To this endthe wipers are urged upwardly by the actuation of a plunger 152 by meansdisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,882 hereinbeforereferred to. The plunger acts against the plate 38 associated with theshoe supporting assembly and urges it upwardly against the bottomsurfaces of the toe wipers 12 to cause the wipers to press the margin ofthe upper against the insole as above described.

The machine comes to rest with the uppers under their maximum upwardpressure and after an appropriate interval the machine is again operatedto cause the operating instrumentalities to return to their restpositions thus releasing the shoe for removal from the machine.

Inasmuch as the toe wipers 12 of the illustrated machine operate at alower level than the'wipers of the machine illustrated in the patentabove referred to, the operating portions ofthe wipers 12 are olfsetdownwardly to bring them to the proper level to last the upper inwardlybeneath the insole.

If it is desired to adapt the illustrated machine to operate uponstitchdown shoes the wipers 12 are removed and replaced by wipers of asuitable type and size. The illustrated holddown assembly is removedfrom the gooseneck 86 after first releasing the wing-headed clampingscrew 156 and this assembly is replaced by the holddown assemblyillustrated in the patent above referred to.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a toe lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers oftoe grippers, ball grippers, and means mounting the ball grippers formovement about a fulcrum extending heightwise of a shoe in the machineand adjacent to a plane bisecting the toe grippers and equally dividingthe space between the side grippers, said fulcrum being disposedrelatively to the grippers so as to afford movement of the gripperswidthwise of the shoe with a toeward component.

2. In a toe lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers oftoe grippers, side grippers, ball grippers, and means mounting the ballgrippers for movement heightwise of the shoe and for movement about afulcrum extending heightwise of a shoe in the machine and adjacent to aplane bisecting the toe grippers and equally dividing the space betweenthe side grippers, said fulcrum being disposed relatively to thegrippers so as to afford movement of the grippers widthwise of the shoewith a toeward component.

3. In a toe lasting machine, the combination with toe lasting wipers, ofball grippers, means mounting the ball grippers for movement widthwiseof a shoe in the machine, means mounting the wipers for movementheightwise of the shoe, means for holding the ball grippers againstinward movement widthwise of the shoe, means operated by heightwisemovement of the wipers for releasing the holding means at apredetermined time in the machine cycle, and means operating upon therelease of the holding means for advancing the ball grippers inwardlywidthwise of the shoe.

4. In a toe lasting machine, ball grippers, a member providing a fulcrumabout which the ball grippers move generally heightwise of a shoe in themachine, and means providing a fulcrum on which the member swivels topermit movement of the ball grippers generally widthwise of the shoe.

5. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on alast, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including agripper, means mounting the gripper for movement about a first axisextending generally heightwise of the last and about a second axisperpendicular to the first axis, and an operating member for moving thegripper about both axes.

6. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on alast, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including agripper, a first fulcrum member upon which the gripper is movablegenerally widthwise of the last, a second fulcrum member alfo'rdingmovement of the gripper generally heightwise of the last, and a springfor moving the gripper in a first direction about the first fulcrummember and in a second direction about the second fulcrum member.

7. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on alast, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including agripper, a first fulcrum member upon which the gripper is movablegenerally widthwise of the last, a second fulcrum member affordingmovement of the gripper generally heightwise of the last,

. a springfbrmovingthe-gripperimwfii'st direction about 1,432,532Clie'ney M0 961? 1912 21 the fii-stfillcrum member'andin'a' seconddirection about" 1,678,873 P'ym Iifly 3'1 19 2 tHe second fulcrummember,andretractable means fbr 2,059,327- Fausse uh-.. N013} 1936? holding thegripper against movement in one" direction 2,146,762 Pym et all YFeb.-.14; 1939. by the spring; 5" 2,210,586 Kamborian- ;Aug, 6, .1:9 40

2,573,886 Zaoralet a1. Nov;- 6,1951

References'Ci'tedin the'fil of this patent 2,703,420 Finn Mar. 8; 1955UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 693,620 Presto'n -Fe1i-.18,190210" 1,069, rance Feb-10,1954"

